The present invention relates to a method for preparing hot beverages in a hot beverage machine wherein, in a first step, a specific volume of water is pumped from a water reservoir into a heating apparatus. In a second step, said volume of water is heated in the heating apparatus. In a third step, the heated volume of water is pumped out of the heating apparatus into a brewing chamber and at the same time a further volume of water is pumped from the water reservoir into the heating apparatus. In a fourth step, a brewing substance contained in the brewing chamber is brewed to produce a hot beverage. In this scheme the steps do not necessarily have to be executed at intervals separated from one another, but can also take place overlapping in time or simultaneously. The steps are therefore to be understood essentially as a definition of one component of a method in each case. The steps can also be performed several times over during one preparation process. The hot beverage machine can be a pod coffee machine, for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,637 B1 discloses a filter coffee machine which operates in principle according to the method described above. A valve which is open only when a coffee receptacle is placed under it is disposed in the filter outlet and prevents coffee from dripping out of the filter used after the receptacle has been removed.